Alpha and Omega
by Telemachus78
Summary: The adventure of Sean Goodman through the Mass Effect Galaxy. With a lot of Ashley Williams
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Eden Prime

Sean Goodman stepped off the troop transport and stepped into a new world. He could not help but think that this must be how Armstrong felt after that first step on the moon. On Jump Zero space station there are thousands of troops all going in different directions but there is a subtle sense of harmony to it all.

"Goodman!" He felt a swift kick from a boot that set him to the floor and right on his face.

"Quit goldbricking Goodman and report to your division!" Said Gunny Ellison

"Y-yes sir" Sean said with a slight stutter.

Sean found his way to his new division with little effort which was surprising for the amount of traffic on the station. Sean always had a talent for never being seen or heard in big crowds and he could always just flow through them with great ease. He was to join the 2nd Frontier Division on Eden Prime. He felt lucky to be sent there and not somewhere closer to the Terminus systems. Eden Prime is a paradise for both soldiers and civilians. Most soldiers never even have to fire their weapon outside of the firing range.

Sean reached the transport for his new division and there stood a tall very slender man who seems like he should be playing basketball back on Earth. He was calling out names and which squad they were assigned to. The transport shuttle to Eden Prime was a lot smaller than the other transports and the soldiers much older. Was this a retirement planet he thought to himself?

"Goodman 212" the slender man shouted.

He headed to the row slated for Unit 212 and they were all at least ten year older than he was. Then he looked around the transport and the other units had men his age ready and eager to get into a real fight. The 212 look like they are praying that they never see anything bigger than a water pistol. Why is the 212 so much different than the rest of the 2nd Frontier Division he thought? If there is real action can he count on these Marines to have his back?

He sat down next to an Indian woman who obviously never had the anti-wrinkle treatment that most women undergo once they turn eighteen. She has a locket wrapped around her fingers and she is clasping to it as if her life depended on it.

They touched down on Eden Prime and the troops stormed out of the transport in perfect formation then broke off into their individual units. The planet was more of a paradise than Sean ever imagined. The hills are green, the buildings are tall, and the people are human it is just like Earth but there is something off. Sean could not put his finger on it but it is there like the oxygen in the air.

The 212 was the only one that did not have their commanding officer greet them they were just pointed to their barracks and told the Chief will meet them there. Were they this bad that their C.O. did not even want to see them.

Sean lead the group of six into the 212 barrack which was separated from the rest of the units like this unit has a virus. Sean opened the door slowly and no one was there. The barrack was worse off than his basic training barrack on Titian. He thought is this all a joke is this a way to be discharged because every other marine standing in this room certainly deserved to be. Then the door is kicked open and in comes a woman in Phoenix Armor obviously a marine from head to toe. The others get to their feet and salute Sean just stands there day dreaming as he often does.

"You're going to have to buy me dinner first to stare like that marine," the Chief said.

"Sorry maim" Sean said while saluting her.

"You all are now part of the 212 some call it the B company but if I ever hear any of you call it B company I will shove this boomstick so far up your ass you will be sniffing discharge" she looked as if she enjoyed that.

"Maim" the 212 barked in unison.

"I can't believe those assholes send me on a patrol when the rooks touched down! They might as well cut my legs off." The Chief grunted to the man behind her walking in.

The next day they had an early morning patrol of the northern farmland and the nearby small town of Genesis. Sean was awaken by the sound of the Chief coming back into the barracks from our morning run. Sean could not help but think how beautiful she looked even after a sweaty morning run.

"Is this going to happen every morning at 4 am." Sean said in a semi serious way. He rolled out of his cot and started to walk towards her standing in the doorway of her quarters.

"Marine I can make you run with me" Sean could not tell if she was making a joke of giving an order. Sean quickly changed subjects because the idea of running at 4 am didn't seem pleasing.

"So why do people call it B company anyways?" The chief turned and looked at him with a stare that could melt his skin. "I mean I wouldn't ever call it B Company but why would other people call it that… Not me"

"Relax kid I think me sticking something up your ass is against the rules of fraternization anyway so your safe." Sean couldn't read her which scared him. He wore his emotions on his sleeve and what kind of soldier hid their emotions. Even though he was afraid of her but unlike Ellison he has to get to know her better. "They call us B Company because we are the rejected so they can send up to our deaths if there is any really fighting here so they can kill two birds with one stone. By the way what is your name anyway?" Then she walked to her desk and grabbed some files from the top drawer.

"Sean Goodman maim and I can see why everyone else here is the rejected but why are you and I part of this unit?"

"I lead this unit and you will have to tell me about you but my guess is because you can't move and that is why you are running with me from now on. Let's see if I can make a marine out of you. Now get suited up for patrol"

"Y-yes Maim."

Sean got suited up and they got into an ATV and rolled out to the northern fields while the rest of the unit went into the town of Genesis. Sean drove the ATV and the only reason being because he got to the ATV first back at camp. Then Nirali who was the Indian women from the transport is on the main gun. The Chief sat in the front seat monitoring the radio for the off chance of an order. Then Dmitry was from somewhere near Russia at least that's what his accent sounds like and he is on the rear gun he is a little off. He saw the opportunity to be on Eden Prime was to find a beautiful wife and have many kids.

"So what are we looking for out here?" Sean asked

"Beautiful girls" Dmitry said laughing

"Shut up back there. There is a reason why we put him in the back. Eden Prime doesn't have a formal justice system so it is under martial law so anything that is punishable by regular law." The Chief explained.

"I always wanted to be a cop but they didn't go into space so it seems fate is funny. I can't wait to tell my husband." Nirali said.

"Just remember whatever happens never leave a marine behind." The Chief demanded

The rest of the patrol went on without a hitch and it wasn't surprising because Eden Prime is the safest place in the Galaxy.

Three months of boring routine movements passed and Sean felt as if his talents were being wasted. He was the top shot on Titan even Ellison said it was the one thing he actually did not mess up. But there was something about being under the Gunnery Chief's command that brought out the best in him more than Ellison could ever do. He was now a fully trained marksman he could get three shots into a target before they could target him. Also with the Chief's help his time on the obstacle course was cut in half.

This morning was like any other except the heightened security because of the recent unearthing of a Prothean beacon. The 212 was out on the morning patrol of the southern farm fields. There had been a recent outbreak of theft and apart from the usual farm equipment some military supplies have gone missing. This put the Chief on edge she seemed to have a heightened sense of danger which was going to waste on Eden Prime. As they rolled through the moist hills the Chief got a call.

"Gunnery Chief Williams there is an unusual heat signature two kilometers east of your location it maybe the thieves"

"On our way there now Williams out"

Sean stepped on the gas hoping for his first combat since arriving on Eden Prime. Has they came closer to the location they could see smoke rising up. As they arrived on scene it was the burning remains of the 232's ATV. The 212 jumped out of the ATV and secured the area.

"Hold your fire we may have friendly's around" the Chief commanded

"Do you think the thieves could have done this?" Nirali asked

"No they had not stolen this much fire power" she explained.

Then a huge drop ship flew over head and the 212 just sat and waited for the order to fire. It was too late they started raining troops all over and the open fired.

"Weapons free! Weapons free!" the Chief screamed.

Sean started to return fire from the side of the ATV then the soldier next to him fell. It was Nirali she was almost unrecognizable from her wounds. Sean was shocked by the sight he did not realize he was no longer firing.

"Heavy weapon!" the Chief screamed. Then a tug on his arm pulled him away from the vehicle just before it burst into flames. They rolled down a hill to where he could see the extent of the attack and it was massive.

"We were not prepared from this." the Chief said with desperation in her voice. It was the first time Sean read her actual emotions.

"No one could be."

They caught up with the rest of the 212 who were in a firefight with the enemy. Sean started to return fire and the Chief tried to get a message out about the attack. She finally got an emergency vid up and was reporting the situation when a deafening horn sounded that could be heard around the world. Followed by a massive ship trying to land on the planet's surface the sight made the entire 212 stop and stare.

"Missile!" Chief screamed then dove into cover down the hill. She was the only one still staring at the ship. At that moment an explosion sprayed the unit across the hillside. The explosion threw Sean down a hill. He finally stopped rolling near the Chief who was still shaken by the explosion. The explosion burned his right leg and there was no way he was going to be able to move.

"Goodman… Goodman" Williams said with such desperation that Sean could barely recognize her voice. Even though he was still alive he knew that the Chief would never leave a fellow Marine behind so he laid there motionless.

"Damn synthetics" the Chief yelped as she punched Sean's chest and he could not help but tense up to receive the blow. As she rose to her feet she pulled her Volkov rifle and left it at his side. Then she ran off, Sean waited till she was out of sight then grabbed the rifle then started to crawl towards a hole then propped himself up in a shooting position. He looked down the scope of the rifle in opposite way the Chief ran and saw what looked like a civilian impaled on a metal spike and at the base was a three of the enemy troops. They were about to load a young women onto the spike he had to save her. But if he would kill the first the other two would find him and kill him for sure. Then in front of him that mothership started to take off and that was the opening he need the sound of the ship can damper the sounds of his shots.

One, two, and three they all went down but unfortunately she was either unconscious or dead and he was in no shape to check. This took a shot at his will and with no other enemies in sight he closed his eyes and drifted into unconsciousness.

Sean woke up in a medical station somewhere with his leg wrapped up to his thigh. He tried to get up from his bed but a doctor ran into the room.

"You can't leave yet you still have a few more days till you can have full motion in that leg" the petite nurse explained.

"Ok but where am I" Sean asked

"You are on the Calnus and we are head to the Citadel so you can be debriefed by Admiral Hackett." She explained

"Why does he want to talk to me?"

"Probably to describe the events of Eden Prime and to explain how we found a person who was reported KIA alive."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Imperceptible

Sean was alone on the Calnus with his thoughts and from all the things that just happened to him in the past 48 hours his thoughts went to Nirali. Her love for her husband was something that never could be broken not even her death. He never had a serious love interest or even a family to love him. Before he met Nirali he had wondered if love even existed.

"The Chief" He had just realized that he did not know if she had survived. He oddly felt the urge to pray for the Chief even though he had never considered himself to be religious. He remembered a prayer that the Chief recited before every maneuver.

"Brave warriors,"  
"should fate find us in battle,"  
"May our cause be just."  
"May our leaders have clear vision."  
"May our courage not falter."  
"May we be triumphant an earn victory"  
"as we show mercy to our enemies."  
"May our efforts bring lasting peace."  
"May our sacrifice be always"  
"appreciated by those we serve."  
"May we return to our loved ones unharmed."  
"Should we be harmed, may our wounds heal."  
"Should we perish in the struggle,"  
"may God embrace us and find for us"  
"a place in His Kingdom."

Sean felt somewhat better and had an odd feeling that the Chief was still alive so he can return her rifle.

"Corporal Goodman we are arriving at the Citadel and you may want to try to range of motion before we arrive" the Calnus's head physician said over the intercom.

"It is amazing what modern medicine can do to such a severe injury" Sean thought to himself as he hopped out of his bed. Sean had only heard stories of the Citadel but it is the center of the galactic community. When he was a child he heard an ambassador describe it as a flower with billions of microscopic organisms living on its pedals except on the Citadel it is billions of intelligent life-forms. After a few stretches he walked over to the window to catch a look at the Citadel.

When Sean saw the Citadel he could not believe that it could have been described as a flower its claws seem to have just swallowed the ship whole. It reminded him of the mothership on Eden Prime and just the thought of that ship shot a shiver down his spine.

The ship docked as Sean started to gather his equipment when he realized he did not have an Alliance uniform to meet Admiral Hackett. All he had was his broken armor from Eden Prime, the Chief's Volkov Rifle and some spare cloths the Calnus had given him.

"Corporal Goodman the Admiral will meet you in a club named Flux on the wards"

"T-thank you for the message I am on my way" Sean said slightly confused.

Sean took his first step on the Citadel he noticed that it was a planet not a space station but planet with many different species. He hailed a cab that was going to take him to the ward were Flux was located. While the cab shot through space to get to the ward he started to wonder why Hackett was meeting him in a club and not an Alliance station.

Sean arrived at the markets near flux and to him they reminded him of Earth just crowded and everyone looking out for themselves. He had never met any aliens face to face but he never realized how ugly they are. Now all he wanted to do just get to Flux. As walking through the crowd out of the corner of his eye he saw an amazing view of the wards. He wondered how is he breathing because from this view he feels as if he is on the outside of a vessel. He noticed a sign on the wall next to him that says Flux and a sort of neon orange arrow pointing up the steps to his left. As he went up the steps he started to hear the low rhythmic thumping in his ears. He had not heard these sounds since was a kid living on earth.

Flux was like any normal human club except for all of the aliens. He did not know what to think about aliens they had to have some prejudice toward humans but should he be the same towards them. Regardless he could see the Admiral in civilian clothes sitting at a corner table with another man in also in civilian clothes. When Sean came up to the table and the man he did not know ordered beers for the table.

"Goodman how are you feeling?" Hackett asked.

"Just a minor limp sir" Sean replied.

"No formalities here Goodman"

"Ok ss… Why?"

"Because you are technically dead and there are no official meetings with dead men so we need to be discrete" Hackett said with a stern look. "This is Anderson he is the former captain of the Normandy SR1" Anderson just gave a nod of approval in return. "We know all about Eden Prime and that is not why you are here"

"Then maybe you can tell me what happened there?" Sean was frustrated about how little of information there is about Eden Prime.

"What did you want to know?" Anderson replied. "The Normandy was the first responder"

"Who is responsible, what was there purpose, who were the three survivors?" Sean said with determination for answers.

"Those are all classified," Sean's heart sank, "But are about to become a need to know so I can tell you. The geth attacked Eden Prime and they were led by a rogue Spectre. They were after that beacon for reasons not yet fully determined. Lastly the three other survivors are Jacob Taylor, Brandon Mills and Ashley Williams."

"Is the Chief on the Citadel" Sean asked. He knew she was alive he could almost feel her presence in the universe.

"Focus we have a new assignment for you" Hackett responded.

"O-ok what is the assignment"

"Have you ever heard of the Corsairs" Anderson asked

"No, who are they?"

"They are a secret organization within the Alliance that can further interests of the Alliance without official involvement." Hackett answered. "You are now a part of this group and your first assignment is to follow the first human spectre Commander Shepard across the galaxy. If he farts I want you to be there to sniff it, understood."

"Why?" Sean asked.

"We need to make sure he is doing the right by the Alliance, simply put. Also you will report to Anderson."

"Why am I selected for this assignment?" Sean asked, "It is not like I am the best marine in the Alliance."

"You are dead so if you get caught we can just deny it all." Anderson stated "Plus your Chief Ashley Williams is a member of his crew."

"Also you have an natural talent of blending in and you must to follow such a high profile man like Shepard." Hackett said.

"A small vessel is waiting for you at Alliance dock 14C but you have some time before your pilot arrives so read up on Shepard dossier you will need to know him like a best friend." Anderson added as he hands Sean the dossier.

"Can I leave now" Sean was aggravated that they didn't even ask if he wanted the assignment but what else could a ghost do than spy.

"Yes Son and your pilot will get the first destination from us but after that it will be up to you." Hackett replied.

Sean just got up and left the club without responding to responding to Hackett. He was too furious about this assignment he wondered if they even thought how this would affect him. Suddenly he had the urge for a very strong drink and he look for the nearest human bar. He walked thru the crowds of the Citadel and saw in the distance a bar named the Goat House and he made a bee line to the entrance.

Sean walked into the bar, it looked like any human bar except it was empty. Except for an Indian man who seemed to be drinking away his sorrows. He wanted to sit next to him but he seemed like he wanted to be left alone. Sean walked up to the barman and ordered a double shot of Tennessee whiskey.

"So why is this place a ghost town?" Sean asked the Barman.

"Because it is like 11 in the morning soldier" the man at the end of the bar slurred.

"Why do you think I am a soldier?"

"You talk like my wife"

"You are a smart man Mr?"

"Bhatia, Samesh" Samesh said with drunken sadness.

"Bhatia! Your wife is… was Nirali I was in her unit the 212!" When Sean saw the reaction of Samesh he suddenly realized that the love that Nirali had for Samesh was shared and he was in incredible pain. "I-I am sorry for your loss. If it helps your wife loved you very much."

"I know" Samesh stated with confidence "The Alliance is holding her body and even Commander Shepard will not help me. I am not trying to be rude but I need my privacy."

Sean felt a little better about spying on Shepard because what type of man would not help a desperate man? This gave him time to look over the dossier.

John Shepard

Born into military family and enlisted when he was 18. Was the sole survivor of a Thresher Maw attack on Akuze. He recently helped uncover a rogue spectre that attacked Eden Prime.

Mother Hannah (Executive Officer SSV Kilimanjaro)

Father Kirk (diseased)

Sean wondered how a man like Shepard who has seen all of this death and had gone through so much grief can refuse to end the grief of such a sweet man? But never the less his pilot should have arrived and he should start heading towards his dock. Deep in his thoughts about his new assignment he did not noticed the views he was astonished by just hours before.

His vessel was nothing more than a fighter they use on Earth but it doesn't have a name. He remembered an odd night that they were not on patrol on Eden Prime. The Chief was in her private room but the door was open. Sean had ran with the Chief for awhile now but he never got passed her protective shell. He saw this opportunity as a chance to really get to know her.

She was sitting at her desk looking at a book.

"Hey Chief what are you reading?" Sean asked.

"Just some poetry Goodman" the Chief said without even looking up from her book.

"Do you have any favorites?"

"Ok Goodman since you have put up with me this past month I will give you a break" the Chief said with a hint of a smile "I read Ulysses by Tennyson to my father before he went out on routines."

"I don't know that one can you recite a couple lines for me?" Sean asked

"Under one condition if you spread that I like poetry around or I will add an obstacle course to our morning runs" the Chief demanded.

"My lips are sealed"

"Ok here it goes."

"Death closes all: but something ere the end,"

"Some work of noble note may yet be done,"

"Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods."

"That was nice, why should you be embarrassed about that?" Sean asked

"That is all you are getting out of me tonight." The Chief said with that smirk as if to say I own you. "So go get some sleep we have got a early morning."

"Maim" Sean started to walk out of her room when she said.

"Hey, you can call me Ashley when we are in an informal setting but if you do it on patrol you will be licking the bottom of my boot."

"Ulysses" that is the name Sean thought. Because he must find his way home after a war.


End file.
